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US retail sales and consumer sentiment fall, lowering Fed rate hike odds
U.S. economic data has signaled a cooling trend, with retail sales falling 0.6% in July, marking the first monthly decline in nine months. This unexpected drop, which missed economist forecasts of a 0.1% increase, was accompanied by a 2.2% decline in online sales, partly attributed to Amazon moving its Prime Day to June. Additionally, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index dropped to a preliminary reading of 51.0 in August, reflecting growing consumer fatigue and concerns over rising prices.
These indicators have significantly shifted market expectations regarding Federal Reserve policy. Traders have reduced the probability of a September interest rate hike to less than 30%. Consequently, the U.S. dollar has faced downward pressure, hitting a three-month low. While the cooling economy may ease inflation concerns, it also raises risks of economic stagnation.
Global markets reacted to the news, with major U.S. indices such as the S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq all seeing declines. In Australia, stock market futures also indicated a projected decline following the weak U.S. economic update.
Entities
Amazon · Australia · Brent crude · Federal Reserve · Home Depot · S&P 500 · U.S. Department of Commerce · US Department of Commerce · United States · University of Michigan
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 4 SOURCES] The University of Michigan consumer sentiment index fell to a preliminary reading of 51.0 in August. franknez.com · www.interest.co.nz · www.pymnts.com · srnnews.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The S&P 500 index declined by 0.2% following the economic data release. www.theage.com.au · www.watoday.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] Australian stock market futures indicated a projected decline of 33 points. www.theage.com.au · www.watoday.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Nasdaq composite fell by 0.3%. www.theage.com.au · www.watoday.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [● 10 SOURCES] US retail sales fell 0.6% in July compared to the previous month. franknez.com · www.interest.co.nz · www.pymnts.com · www.finanzen.at · srnnews.com · +4 more
- [● 2 SOURCES] Retail sales in the control group categories, which feed into GDP calculations, declined by 0.4%. www.interest.co.nz · www.pymnts.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Brent crude oil prices rose 1.7% to approximately $88.52 per barrel. www.theage.com.au · www.watoday.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 107 points, representing a 0.2% decrease. www.theage.com.au · www.watoday.com.au · www.smh.com.au
- [● 2 SOURCES] Online sales in the U.S. fell 2.2% in July. franknez.com · www.pymnts.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] Market pricing assigns less than a 30% probability of a Federal Reserve rate hike in September. treasuryone.co.za · vtv.vn · cryptobriefing.com